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Tim Smit

Sir Timothy Smit KBE (born 25 September 1954) is a Dutch-born British entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author best known for restoring the Lost Gardens of Heligan and co-founding the Eden Project, an environmental education center in Cornwall featuring the world's largest indoor rainforest biomes.^[1]^[2] Born in the Netherlands, Smit studied archaeology and anthropology at Durham University before spending a decade in the music industry as a record producer for artists including Clannad.^[1]^[2] In the early 1990s, having relocated to Cornwall, he partnered with Tim Pearson to revive the overgrown and abandoned Heligan estate, transforming it into a renowned botanical garden that pioneered the "lost" garden revival movement.^[1]^[3] Smit then envisioned the Eden Project in 1995, converting a disused clay pit into a series of massive geodesic domes housing diverse ecosystems, which opened to the public in 2001 and has drawn over 20 million visitors while promoting sustainability and biodiversity education.^[1]^[4] As executive chairman of Eden Regeneration Ltd, he has expanded the model to initiatives like global Eden spin-offs and community projects, earning a knighthood in 2013 for services to the environment.^[5] Smit has also faced criticism for outspoken comments, including labeling some Cornish locals as resistant to change and Eurosceptics as exhibiting "strange racism," prompting public backlash and apologies.^[6]^[7]

Early life and education

Childhood and family background

Timothy Bartel Smit was born on 25 September 1954 in Scheveningen, near The Hague, in the Netherlands.^[8]^[9] His father, Jan Smit, was Dutch and worked in a blue-collar capacity, while his mother, Anthea, was English from an upper-middle-class background.^[10] This binational parentage placed Smit in a household bridging Dutch and English cultural influences from an early age. Smit relocated to England during his childhood and was schooled there, initially in East Sussex and later in Kent.^[9] The transition from the Netherlands to England exposed him to cross-cultural adaptation, shaping a practical perspective informed by his dual heritage, though specific family emphases on self-reliance or exploration in his upbringing remain undocumented in primary accounts.

Academic pursuits and early interests

Tim Smit studied archaeology and anthropology at Durham University, completing his degree in 1976.^[1]^[11] These disciplines appealed to his curiosity about human societies, cultural evolution, and material evidence of past civilizations, providing a structured framework for investigating historical contexts through empirical methods.^[12] Alongside his formal education, Smit developed an early interest in music, engaging in amateur songwriting and production that demonstrated his inclination toward creative expression and interdisciplinary pursuits.^[4] This blend of analytical rigor from archaeology with artistic endeavors in music highlighted his nascent tendency to integrate intellectual inquiry with practical creativity, though he initially applied his archaeological training in entry-level roles before shifting focus.^[13] His academic experiences thus cultivated a versatile mindset, emphasizing firsthand exploration and synthesis across fields without immediate professional specialization.^[14]

Music and entertainment career

Record production and hits

Following his graduation from Durham University in 1976, Smit briefly worked as an archaeologist before entering the music industry as a songwriter and producer, establishing a decade-long career in rock and opera production primarily in London.^[11] ^[1] He collaborated with established artists including Barry Manilow, Alvin Stardust, and Twiggy, contributing to recordings that earned him seven gold and platinum discs for sales achievements.^[10] ^[15] One of Smit's major commercial successes was co-producing and co-writing the 1982 single "Midnight Blue" for Danish opera singer Louise Tucker, alongside Charlie Skarbek; the track adapted the first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and became a multimillion-selling hit, particularly in France where it topped charts, while reaching number 46 on the US Billboard Hot 100.^[16] ^[12] ^[13] The associated album, Midnight Blue: A Project with Louise Tucker, further solidified his reputation through innovative fusion of classical elements with contemporary pop production techniques.^[17] Smit also co-wrote "Feel Emotion" for Twiggy, which peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1983, contributing to his track record of chart placements and financial gains that funded his later entrepreneurial ventures outside music.^[18] These productions highlighted his self-reliant path from academic background to industry success, relying on direct artist collaborations rather than major label backing initially.^[19] By the mid-1980s, cumulative earnings from these hits had amassed significant wealth, enabling his pivot from music.^[20]

Transition from music industry

In the mid-1980s, Smit grew disillusioned with the music industry amid shifts toward artificial production techniques, particularly the rise of programmable synthesizers around 1981, which supplanted the organic, live-recorded essence he valued in music.^[21] This evolution contributed to personal burnout, marked by intense wretchedness and sadness, culminating in an epiphany during a trip to Paris where he resolved to exit the field despite prior commercial achievements.^[22] Seeking renewal, Smit relocated from London to Cornwall in 1987 at age 37, a decision he later attributed to serendipity and a sudden detachment from music's formulaic demands.^[23]^[22] The move reflected a broader rejection of transient entertainment pursuits, as he had come to loathe how the industry betrayed his foundational love for creative expression.^[22] In Cornwall, Smit's academic background in archaeology and anthropology—fields he had always cherished—drew him toward hands-on exploration of local historical sites, revealing a deeper affinity for restorative work over ephemeral artistic ventures.^[23] He later articulated music's core limitation as its inability to yield enduring, tangible legacies, prioritizing instead community-driven projects that fostered lasting physical and social value.^[21]^[22]

Restoration and development projects

Revival of the Lost Gardens of Heligan

In 1990, Tim Smit, recently transitioned from a music production career, co-discovered the derelict gardens of the Heligan estate in Cornwall alongside John Willis, a descendant of the Tremayne family that owned the property.^[24] The gardens, part of a 19th-century estate, had fallen into neglect following the First World War, when the estate's workforce was decimated, leading to overgrowth and abandonment for over 70 years.^[25] Smit partnered with local enthusiast John Nelson to initiate clearance and restoration efforts, focusing on uncovering and reviving the original Victorian and Edwardian features without adhering strictly to institutional standards like those of the National Trust.^[26] Restoration began immediately in 1990, involving manual clearance of brambles, ivy, and debris from areas like the Melon Yard and jungle rides, with Philip McMillan Browse contributing expertise.^[24] By 1991, Cornwall County Council granted planning permission, enabling formal progress under a lease signed between the Tremayne Estate and Heligan Gardens Limited, a company formed for the project.^[24] The initiative relied primarily on private entrepreneurial drive rather than substantial public subsidies at the outset, with Smit's vision emphasizing the spirit of the original gardens through organic methods and historical authenticity.^[27] The gardens opened to the public at Easter 1992, rapidly transforming the site from a forgotten ruin into a major tourist attraction.^[24] Visitor revenue from admission fees has since funded ongoing organic restoration and maintenance, demonstrating self-sustainability; by 2005, the site had welcomed its three millionth visitor, reaching eight million by 2024.^[24] This success created employment opportunities in rural Cornwall, a post-industrial region prone to economic stagnation, highlighting the impact of private initiative in revitalizing heritage assets and countering decline through horticultural entrepreneurship.^[23]

Conception and construction of the Eden Project

The Eden Project originated from an idea conceived by Tim Smit in 1995, following his success in restoring the Lost Gardens of Heligan, with the aim of creating a large-scale educational attraction focused on environmental sustainability and human-plant relationships.^[1] The site selected was a disused china clay pit at Bodelva near St Austell in Cornwall, an exhausted quarry spanning approximately 15 hectares with depths up to 60 meters, left barren after over a century of industrial extraction.^[28] ^[29] Smit envisioned transforming this challenging terrain into a series of enclosed biomes simulating global ecosystems, emphasizing experiential learning about biodiversity and conservation rather than traditional botanical displays.^[30] Funding was secured through a combination of public and private sources, including significant contributions from the Millennium Commission via National Lottery funds, the European Union Structural Funds under Objective One for Cornwall's regeneration, and the South West Regional Development Agency, totaling around £130 million by completion.^[31] Construction commenced in 1998 after obtaining planning permissions, with Smit playing a central role in rallying support amid initial skepticism from regulators and potential investors who doubted the feasibility of building massive structures in an unstable, post-industrial pit. ^[30] The project proceeded with just £3,000 in initial bank funds, relying on Smit's persuasive advocacy to unlock phased financing and partnerships.^[30] The engineering demanded innovative solutions, led by architects Grimshaw and structural engineers Anthony Hunt Associates, resulting in the world's largest greenhouses clad in over 600 hexagonal panels of lightweight ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) film, forming bubble-like biomes up to 55 meters high and spanning 240 meters long.^[29] These structures—one for Mediterranean climates and another for tropical rainforests—were designed to withstand the site's unstable clay soils and extreme weather, including heavy rainfall that required specialized drainage systems to manage 43 million liters of water in early construction phases.^[32] ^[29] Smit's determination overcame logistical hurdles, such as adapting designs to the shifting quarry landscape and pioneering untried lightweight materials for energy-efficient climate control, proving the viability of ambitious, site-specific innovation.^[30] ^[15] The project opened to the public on 17 March 2001, ahead of schedule despite the complexities.^[28]

Expansion and ongoing management of Eden

Following its opening in March 2001, the Eden Project rapidly expanded its visitor base, attracting over 10 million visitors by July 2008 and exceeding 1 million annual visitors in several years during the mid-2000s, which supported the site's financial stability through ticket sales and ancillary revenue streams.^[33]^[34] Under Tim Smit's leadership as co-founder and chief executive, this growth prompted the development of satellite initiatives, including the establishment of Eden Project International Ltd in 2017 to oversee global projects such as the Eden Project Dundee (under construction for a 2025 opening), a proposed site in Morecambe funded with £50 million in 2023, and consultations for international replicas like the Oriental Eden in China, which opened in 2025 with Smit's attendance.^[35]^[36]^[37] The 2008 financial crisis posed challenges, with Smit implementing cost controls including a 10% staff-wide pay cut to avert redundancies and preserve operations amid declining discretionary spending on tourism.^[33] These measures, combined with revenue diversification into education programs, events like the Eden Sessions music series, and merchandise, enabled the project to maintain profitability without relying excessively on state subsidies, though visitor numbers fluctuated and prompted further staff reductions of around 80 positions announced in early 2010 as part of broader efficiency drives.^[33] Over its first 16 years, the Eden Project generated £1.7 billion for the regional economy, contributing significantly to Cornwall's GDP through tourism inflows that reduced dependence on public aid by fostering private-sector job creation.^[35] It directly employed approximately 400 full-time staff, with 75% drawn from previously unemployed locals, while indirectly supporting thousands of tourism-related positions in supply chains and hospitality, thereby bolstering local economic resilience.^[38] Smit's ongoing oversight emphasized adaptive management, transitioning from daily executive duties in 2013 to strategic guidance amid periodic dips in attendance, ensuring the site's evolution into a self-sustaining model for environmental education and regional development.^[39]

Broader contributions and advocacy

Authorship and public writings

Tim Smit co-authored The Lost Gardens of Heligan in 1997, a bestselling account of the rediscovery and restoration of the Cornish estate's overgrown gardens, abandoned since World War I. The narrative chronicles the practical challenges of clearing 70 years of neglect, reviving Victorian-era features like subtropical plantings and walled gardens, and navigating local skepticism and funding shortages through persistent experimentation and labor. Voted Book of the Year by The Sunday Times, the work prioritizes detailed, firsthand observations of horticultural revival over abstract theory, illustrating how targeted interventions—such as grafting rare plants and reconstructing irrigation systems—yielded measurable regeneration.^[40]^[1] Smit's 2001 book Eden: The Whole Inspiring Story of the Eden Project, revised in a 2011 anniversary edition, documents the origination and building of the biome complex in a former clay pit, from initial sketches in 1994 to its 2001 opening with over 1 million visitors in the first year. It recounts engineering feats, including the construction of the world's largest greenhouses using hexagonal ETFE panels, and the assembly of multidisciplinary teams that raised £130 million amid economic doubts. The text frames these as outcomes of decisive risk acceptance, such as securing unsecured loans and prototyping on-site, rather than phased planning, with data on visitor impacts underscoring scaled environmental education.^[41]^[42] Across both volumes, Smit's prose emphasizes causal mechanisms of success in large-scale endeavors: empirical trial-and-error in site rehabilitation, the catalytic role of committed leadership in mobilizing resources, and the rejection of defeatist narratives in favor of agency-driven progress, evidenced by quantifiable metrics like Heligan's restoration of 200 acres or Eden's hosting of 1.3 million annual visitors by 2011. These accounts influence readers by distilling operational lessons from Smit's ventures—such as adaptive prototyping over rigid blueprints—without reliance on motivational rhetoric, positioning innovation and environmental stewardship as extensions of human capability when pursued through uncompromised execution.^[43]^[44]

Environmental and educational initiatives

Smit established educational outreach programs via the Eden Project, partnering with schools, colleges, and universities to deliver hands-on learning about global biomes, sustainability, and climate challenges. These efforts encompass on-site school visits, virtual workshops, and specialized sessions such as the Climate Challenge program for secondary students, which examines individual actions, policy influence, and Eden's practical examples of environmental adaptation.^[45]^[46] The programs have scaled to include university-level qualifications and teacher training, contributing to broader Department for Education strategies on sustainability education, with annual learner participation exceeding 25,000 individuals as of 2022-23.^[47]^[48] This engagement emphasizes experiential education linking natural world connections to practical skills, rather than abstract theory. In environmental regeneration, Smit co-conceived the Gillyflower Farm project in 2017 with horticulturist Philip MacMillan Browse, targeting the restoration of large-scale commercial orchards in Cornwall's Fowey Valley to enhance biodiversity through economically viable agriculture. Spanning 40 acres, the initiative integrates food production with ecosystem rebuilding, employing regenerative practices to challenge industrial farming norms while fostering soil health and habitat diversity.^[49]^[50] The project supports conservation via incentives like orchard management workshops, which have drawn strong community interest, promoting techniques for sustainable fruit cultivation historically prominent in the region. Outcomes prioritize measurable ecological gains, such as increased pollinator habitats and reduced chemical inputs, tied to productive yields rather than restrictive models.^[50]^[51]

Public speaking and leadership roles

Smit has held the position of Pro-Chancellor at Bournemouth University, where he contributes to strategic oversight and honorary functions.^[13] In this capacity, he received an honorary Doctor of Education in 2016 for his contributions across archaeology, music, horticulture, and education.^[52] Additionally, he serves as a trustee for organizations such as MEMO Portland, which promotes regeneration through cultural and environmental projects, and participates in advisory panels, including those for health innovation and nature-based urban renewal initiatives.^[53]^[54]^[55] As a keynote speaker, Smit addresses audiences on entrepreneurial innovation, sustainability, and transforming underutilized land into productive assets, drawing empirical examples from the Eden Project's conversion of a former clay quarry into a site generating over £1.7 billion in economic impact since 2001.^[56]^[57] His presentations highlight scalable models for regeneration, such as leveraging private investment and public-private partnerships to revitalize rural areas, evidenced by Eden's role in boosting Cornwall's tourism and employment by creating over 2,000 jobs.^[58]^[1] Smit's leadership extends to influencing advisory discussions on rural economic strategies, where he advocates for adaptive reuse of industrial wastelands based on Eden's track record of attracting 20 million visitors and fostering local supply chains.^[59] These efforts underscore a focus on measurable outcomes, including policy dialogues on social enterprise models that integrate environmental restoration with job creation in peripheral regions.^[60]

Perspectives on economic development in Cornwall

Tim Smit has emphasized the need for Cornwall's economic revival through ambitious, investment-attracting initiatives that leverage tourism and innovation to combat chronic depopulation and stagnation. He argues that projects like the Eden Project demonstrate how private and public partnerships can generate self-reinforcing growth, with the site's opening in March 2001 catalyzing a surge in visitor numbers—over 21 million to date—and creating direct and indirect employment for thousands in a region previously marked by industrial decline and out-migration.^[61] ^[62] This approach prioritizes enterprises that draw external capital and expertise, countering local insularity by integrating "outsiders" whose investments bolster infrastructure and demand for local goods and services.^[63] Empirical data underscores Eden's multiplier effects: an initial outlay of approximately £130 million has returned over £2 billion to Cornwall's economy via tourism revenue, construction, and ongoing operations, far outpacing equivalent government regeneration efforts.^[60] ^[61] Pre-Eden, Cornwall exhibited severe deprivation, including average weekly earnings of around £317—among the UK's lowest—and a GVA per head roughly 70-75% of the national average, reflecting post-mining collapse and limited diversification.^[64] Post-2001, tourism's expansion, propelled by Eden, contributed to employment gains in hospitality and related sectors, with the project alone sustaining over 8,300 jobs regionally by leveraging visitor expenditures exceeding £1 billion cumulatively.^[65] Smit critiques Cornwall's historical dependence on subsidies, viewing them as insufficient for sustainable prosperity and advocating instead for self-funding models that transform underused assets—like disused quarries—into revenue-generating hubs.^[60] He posits that true causal drivers of wealth lie in entrepreneurial risk-taking and market-oriented innovation, rather than perpetual state support, as evidenced by Eden's progression from a clay pit to a global draw that has amplified local supply chains without ongoing fiscal crutches.^[59] This perspective favors empirical outcomes over redistributive equity, highlighting how targeted investments have elevated Cornwall's profile and economic velocity despite persistent challenges like uneven wage distribution.^[66]

Critiques of nostalgia and localism

Tim Smit has argued that nostalgia for an idealized Cornish past obstructs economic and social progress, emphasizing that romanticized views of the "good old days" overlook the region's historical realities of hardship. In public statements, he has described such sentiments as rooted in "imaginary" eras that ignore the dangers and instability of traditional industries like tin mining, which collapsed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to widespread poverty, unemployment rates exceeding 20% in some areas by the 1930s, and mass emigration waves to destinations such as Australia and South Africa between 1840 and 1914, when over 250,000 Cornish people left the county.^[67]^[68] Smit contends that clinging to unviable traditions, such as lamenting the loss of mining heritage without adapting to new opportunities, perpetuates decline rather than fostering resilience. Smit advocates for what he terms adaptive realism, prioritizing innovation and forward-looking strategies over preservation of outdated local customs that fail to generate sustainable livelihoods. He points to projects like the Eden Project, established in 2001 on a former clay pit site symbolizing industrial obsolescence, as evidence that communities thrive by repurposing assets for modern tourism and education, creating over 4,000 direct and indirect jobs in Cornwall and contributing to a 6% reduction in local unemployment in the years following its opening.^[69] This approach, Smit argues, aligns with causal economic dynamics where innovation drives growth: Cornwall's GDP per capita rose from below the UK average in the 1990s to convergence post-Eden, bolstered by tourism inflows exceeding £1 billion annually by the mid-2010s, in contrast to the stagnation of regions mired in heritage-focused localism without viable reinvention. Opposing perspectives from localist advocates highlight concerns that rapid modernization erodes cultural identity and community cohesion, with some Cornish residents defending traditions as vital for social stability amid influxes of outsiders. Critics of Smit's stance, including heritage groups, contend that nostalgia preserves unique dialects, festivals, and landscapes that underpin tourism appeal itself, warning that unchecked innovation risks displacing native populations through housing pressures. However, Smit substantiates his position with empirical outcomes, noting that pre-Eden reliance on mining nostalgia yielded minimal employment—fewer than 1,000 mining-related jobs by 1990—while adaptive ventures like Eden have sustained broader prosperity, demonstrating that progress requires confronting historical myths with data-driven reinvention rather than sentimental stasis.^[70]^[71]

Views on sustainability and innovation

Tim Smit conceptualizes sustainability as a synergistic fusion of ecological stewardship and economic dynamism, rejecting notions of inherent sacrifice in favor of innovative models that enable human flourishing. He posits that environmental imperatives should be embedded in business operations, warning that practices harmful to future generations undermine a company's legitimacy.^[72] The Eden Project serves as a practical demonstration, where biomes simulating global ecosystems facilitate local cultivation of diverse plants, thereby curtailing transportation-related emissions compared to importing equivalents from distant regions.^[29] This approach underscores Smit's belief that technological ingenuity, such as biomimetic designs inspired by natural forms like soap bubbles and cellular hexagons, can yield efficient, low-impact structures without relying solely on prohibitive regulations.^[73]^[74] Critiquing alarmist strains of environmentalism, Smit argues that fear induces paralysis rather than action, advocating instead for "knowledge-based hope" rooted in achievable advancements over unsubstantiated optimism.^[75] ^[76] He favors innovation-driven solutions, including biomimicry and emerging technologies like fungal-derived textiles and geothermal energy extraction—as pursued in Eden's £17 million borehole project—to foster energy self-sufficiency by 2030.^[76] This perspective implicitly counters Malthusian predictions of resource exhaustion by emphasizing scalable ecological restoration, such as leveraging heritage seed collections for resilient agriculture independent of fossil fuel-intensive inputs, which Smit forecasts will generate substantial employment in rewilding and soil management within 15–20 years.^[76] While Smit acknowledges left-leaning reservations about unchecked consumerism exacerbating ecological strain, he prioritizes empirically validated technological progress, framing the climate challenge as a catalyst for "green enlightenment" through business-led consensus rather than top-down mandates.^[76] ^[75] He urges forward ambition over nostalgic regression, positioning projects like Eden's international expansions as blueprints for regenerative economies that integrate purpose, creativity, and profitability.^[72]^[77]

Controversies and criticisms

Public statements on Cornish identity

In February 2022, Tim Smit defended celebrity chef Rick Stein against local Cornish criticism for promoting tourism and attracting outsiders, describing detractors as "tossers" who were inarticulate, defined their lives by negativity, and romanticized an unlivable past of poverty and hardship rather than embracing prosperity brought by development.^[71]^[78]^[79] The remarks occurred in a podcast amid broader tensions over housing affordability, where an influx of second-home buyers and tourists had driven up property prices by over 20% in some areas since 2019, exacerbating local resentment toward non-residents perceived as altering community dynamics.^[80]^[6] Smit's comments drew immediate backlash from Cornish residents and nationalists, who labeled them a "lazy caricature" dismissive of genuine concerns about cultural erosion and economic exclusion, with some accusing him of arrogance as an outsider himself despite his long-term residence and contributions via the Eden Project.^[70]^[80] Critics, including figures from Cornish advocacy groups like Mebyon Kernow, argued the statements perpetuated stereotypes and ignored data showing native-born Cornish people facing higher homelessness rates—around 1 in 50 households in 2021—partly due to market pressures from incomers.^[81]^[6] Smit issued an apology on February 17, 2022, conceding he had "gone off on one" with clumsy phrasing but maintaining the core point targeted anti-progress elements, not Cornish identity broadly, and reiterated his dedication to the county's advancement.^[82]^[83] He positioned the Eden Project, which he co-founded, as a model for integrating newcomers through job creation—employing over 1,000 staff and attracting 1.3 million visitors annually pre-pandemic—arguing such efforts had elevated Cornwall's economy without inherent division.^[63] Supporters, including business leaders, countered backlash by citing empirical evidence of net positives from migration and tourism: the sector accounts for approximately 20% of local employment (around 50,000 jobs) and generates over £2 billion yearly in economic output, outpacing drawbacks like seasonal wage pressures when adjusted for broader GDP contributions exceeding 15% of the regional total.^[84]^[85] This perspective aligns with Smit's emphasis on forward-looking realism over insular nostalgia, though detractors maintained it overlooked uneven distribution of gains favoring coastal hotspots.^[86]

Financial and operational challenges at Eden

In the early 2010s, the Eden Project reported a £6.3 million operating deficit for the financial year ending March 2013, with income of £27.9 million against expenditure of £34.3 million, marking deficits in four of the prior five years.^[87] Visitor numbers fell to 953,000 in 2012—the lowest since opening—due to external factors including the economic recession, poor weather, and competition from the London Olympics, compounded by a 2010 flood that closed facilities for seven days.^[87] ^[33] To achieve sustainability, the Eden Trust enacted cost reductions targeting £4 million in savings for the year to March 2014, including 68 redundancies and leaving 50 vacancies unfilled, alongside operational efficiencies.^[87] These measures addressed a 20% decline in visits during 2012, the first year below one million since 2001.^[88] Critics raised concerns over inadequate reserves for biome repairs and equipment replacement, attributing persistent deficits to over-reliance on visitor income without sufficient contingency planning.^[89] The COVID-19 pandemic intensified pressures, causing site closures from March 2020 and losses exceeding £7 million in the first affected quarter alone, leading to approximately 150 full-time equivalent redundancies—40% of the 375-strong workforce—in mid-2020.^[90] ^[91] The project secured a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facility, which was fully repaid by March 2023 amid partial reopenings under restrictions.^[92] Post-pandemic recovery saw visitor figures rebound to over 500,000 in 2022-23 and approximately 604,000 in 2023-24, though below pre-2019 peaks exceeding one million annually.^[48] ^[93] These external shocks—recessions, weather events, and pandemics—represent standard volatility for tourism enterprises reliant on discretionary spending, with Eden's avoidance of insolvency attributable to adaptive restructurings and diversified funding, including £50 million from the UK government's Levelling Up Fund for expansion projects.^[48] Under Tim Smit's chairmanship, such responses prioritized operational continuity over unchecked ambition, countering narratives of inherent overreach with evidence of fiscal stabilization.^[94]

Responses to environmental and economic critiques

Smit and the Eden Project have countered environmental critiques, including claims of a high carbon footprint from the biomes' construction using energy-intensive materials like steel and ETFE panels, by emphasizing lifecycle assessments and ongoing reductions. A 2023 whole-life cycle carbon assessment of the Growing Point development reported an 89% reduction in embodied carbon compared to baseline designs, avoiding nearly 1,000 tonnes of CO2e through material substitutions and efficient design.^[95] Annual carbon footprint reports, such as the 2022/23 audit, track operational emissions across buildings, transport, and energy, showing progressive declines via renewable sourcing and efficiency measures, with goals for climate positivity by 2030.^[96] Smit has rebutted alarmist narratives by advocating practical, hope-driven environmentalism over divisive rhetoric, arguing that projects like Eden foster behavioral change through education and demonstration of sustainable biomes, yielding net positives in biodiversity and public awareness that offset initial emissions.^[10] Economic critiques portraying Eden as fostering tourist dependency and seasonal volatility in Cornwall—potentially exacerbating rather than diversifying the local economy—have been addressed through impact data highlighting broader multipliers. Independent analyses indicate Eden generates supply-chain jobs in agriculture, construction, and services beyond direct visitor spending, with 2022 visitor expenditures supporting high retail and catering revenues amid UK tourism benchmarks.^[94] Smit has defended the project's role in regional prosperity, countering dependency claims by noting sustained employment of over 460 staff and rising attendance that buffers economic cycles, rather than relying on perpetual subsidies.^[97] While acknowledging valid concerns over initial public subsidies—totaling around £140 million from sources like the Millennium Commission for construction—Eden's operational model demonstrates long-term self-sufficiency, with visitor revenues funding expansions and maintenance without ongoing government support since 2001.^[98] Smit attributes this to diversified revenue streams, including education programs and partnerships, which have debunked narratives of entrenched dependency by delivering measurable GDP contributions estimated at multiples of initial investment through induced tourism and local enterprise stimulation.^[63]

Personal life and recognition

Family and residences

Smit relocated to Cornwall in 1987 with his then-wife and three young children, establishing a family base in the region that has supported his subsequent professional endeavors there. He has four children in total, including daughter Laura Smit, who has worked as a police counsellor, and son Alex Smit, who has collaborated with him on agricultural initiatives such as a proposed agronomy learning center.^[99]^[100] ^[4] His first marriage ended in divorce, after which he married Charlotte Russell on May 11, 2024, at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, a site linked to his early restoration work.^[101] Smit's family maintains a low public profile, with his personal stability in Cornwall cited as enabling the high-risk commitments required for projects like the Eden Project.^[102] He has resided primarily in Fowey and Lostwithiel, areas proximate to the Eden Project in St Austell and the Lost Gardens of Heligan near Pentewan, facilitating ongoing localized involvement.^[102] ^[100] These residences reflect a deliberate choice to embed himself in the community he seeks to develop economically and environmentally, rather than maintaining distant urban ties.^[63]

Awards, honors, and legacy

Smit was appointed an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2002 New Year Honours for services to business and tourism in Cornwall.^[1] ^[103] In January 2011, he received an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for contributions to public engagement with science, which became substantive in June 2012 following his naturalization as a British citizen.^[103] ^[1] He also received the Albert Medal from the Royal Society of Arts in 2003, recognizing his role in advancing design, science, and education through the Eden Project.^[1] Smit has been awarded multiple honorary doctorates, including a Doctor of Science from Queen's University Belfast in July 2023 for services to environmental conservation, a Doctor of Education from Bournemouth University in November 2016, and a Doctor of Science from Anglia Ruskin University in 2015.^[3] ^[13] ^[2] Additional recognitions include the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism award from the English Tourism Council in 2000 and selection as Great Briton of 2007 in the environment category by the Morgan Stanley Great Britons Awards.^[14] ^[104] Smit's legacy centers on pioneering the regeneration of derelict industrial sites into educational and economic hubs, exemplified by the restoration of the Lost Gardens of Heligan in the early 1990s and the Eden Project, which opened in 2001.^[1] The Eden Project has drawn over 19 million visitors in its first 16 years through 2017, generating approximately £1.9 billion in economic contributions to Cornwall via tourism revenue, supply chain spending, and job creation exceeding 400 direct positions.^[1] ^[35] This public-private partnership model, blending lottery funding, private investment, and visitor income, has demonstrated scalable approaches to post-industrial revitalization, fostering biodiversity education and local employment while influencing analogous projects globally, though dependent on sustained attendance metrics averaging near 1 million annually pre-2020.^[1] ^[97]

References

[1]
Sir Tim Smit KBE - The Eden Project
Tim is Co-founder of the award-winning Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall. Eden began as a dream in 1995 and opened its doors to the public in 2000.
[2]
Sir Tim Smit - ARU
Sir Tim Smit KBE is an entrepreneur, author, educator, motivational speaker, social campaigner and co-founder of the Eden Project. Born in The Netherlands, Sir ...
[3]
Queen's honours Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit for his ...
Jul 6, 2023 · Sir Timothy is a Dutch-born British businessman who jointly helped create the Lost Gardens of Heligan, and the Eden Project in Cornwall and is a ...
[4]
Life lessons: Sir Tım Smit on what life has taught him - Positive News
Aug 18, 2023 · In 1996, he devised a plan to transform a sterile Cornish clay pit and fill it with life, which became the Eden Project, the world's largest ...
[5]
Tim Smit - Chartwell Speakers Bureau
Sir Tim Smit KBE is Executive Chairman, Eden Regeneration Ltd and Founding Director of the award-winning Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall.
[6]
Eden Project co-founder under fire for rant about Cornish people
Feb 16, 2022 · The co-founder of the Eden Project has caused a stir by suggesting that Cornish people are not articulate and are overly fond of looking back to imaginary “ ...
[7]
Eurosceptics 'racist' says tourist boss Tim Smit - BBC News
May 17, 2016 · Eurosceptics have a "strange racism" about foreigners according to the boss of Cornwall's tourist attraction the Eden Project.
[8]
Tim Smit: Visionary Leader and Environmental Pioneer
Tim Smit was born in Holland on 25 September 1954. He read Archaeology and Anthropology at Durham University. Tim worked for ten years in the music industry as ...Missing: family | Show results with:family
[9]
Tim Smit: 'I don't want things to be too easy' | The Independent
Dec 11, 2011 · 25 September 1954 Born in the Netherlands, Smit is sent to school in East Sussex and Kent. 1970s Studies archaeology and anthropology at Durham, ...Missing: childhood | Show results with:childhood
[10]
The Eden Project's Sir Tim Smit: 'Shut the f--- up about climate'
Nov 6, 2022 · Smit – Sir Tim, as he became in 2012 – was born in 1954 outside The Hague, home to his father Jan – “blue collar Dutch”. His mother Anthea, by ...
[11]
This Is Your Life: Tim Smit - Big Red Book
Tim, who was born in the Netherlands, studied archaeology and anthropology at Durham University, where, as a keen musician, he helped form a band. After ...Missing: Timothy Bartel parents Dutch English
[12]
Tim Smit: the Eden project's impassioned gardener - The Guardian
Mar 11, 2011 · Born in 1954 in Scheveningen in the Netherlands, Smit was educated in Kent before studying archaeology and anthropology at Durham. Early ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography<|separator|>
[13]
[PDF] Pro-Chancellor Sir Tim Smit is a successful entrepreneur who has ...
Born in Holland, Sir Tim studied archaeology and anthropology at Durham University, subjects that remain close to his heart. Following a year working as ...
[14]
Sir Tim Smit KBE - Honorary Graduate - University of Staffordshire
Tim Smit co-founded the Eden Project, a horticultural haven housing the largest rainforest in captivity and the greatest conservatories in the world.
[15]
The Eden Project: anything's possible with the right vision - APM
May 26, 2020 · Having built a successful career in the music business, writing hits and producing for Barry Manilow, Alvin Stardust and Twiggy, Smit had moved ...
[16]
Midnight Blue by Louise Tucker - 1983 Hit Song
However, nationally on the Billboard Hot 100, “Midnight Blue” stalled at #46. Louise Tucker, Charlie Skarbek and Tim Smit got international coverage in the ...
[17]
https://www.discogs.com/release/13278990-Midnight-Blue-4-A-Project-With-Louise-Tucker-Midnight-Blue
[18]
Tim Smit – Top Songs as Writer – Music VF, US & UK hit charts
Songs Written by Tim Smit - Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography - #1: Midnight Blue by Louise Tucker - #2: Feel Emotion by Twiggy - Music VF, US & UK hit ...Missing: production | Show results with:production
[19]
Eden Project tycoon sparks neighbour fury over cookery school
Feb 6, 2021 · Dutch-born Sir Tim, 66, originally made millions as a record producer working with stars such as Barry Manilow, Twiggy and Alvin Stardust.
[20]
Sir Tim Smit LOSES bid to turn golf course into a holiday park
Apr 14, 2022 · Dutch-born Sir Tim, 67, originally made millions as a record producer working with stars such as Barry Manilow, Twiggy and Alvin Stardust.
[21]
Tim Smit | Dream Big or Else - 52 Insights
Feb 2, 2017 · But the last thing Smit would like to be called is an entrepreneur. Having first found hollow success in the music industry as a songwriter ...
[22]
Tim Smit created Eden — - Dumbo Feather
Sep 10, 2017 · Two decades ago, Tim abandoned a fruitful music career (he received seven platinum and gold discs) and moved to Cornwall, where he restored ...Missing: transition | Show results with:transition
[23]
Celebrated Cornwall - Sir Tim Smit and The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Oct 10, 2020 · By accident I ended up working in the music business - and again through accident I ended up on a whim living in Cornwall. I fell out of love ...Missing: transition | Show results with:transition
[24]
Timeline - A History of The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Derelict gardens discovered by Tim Smit and John Willis (Tremayne descendant). John Nelson begins clearance. Philip McMillan Browse, then County ...
[25]
Cornwall's sleeping beauty: the tale of Heligan's lost gardens
Apr 17, 2022 · The prince was Dutch-born archaeologist and musician Sir Tim Smit who would later found the Eden Project.
[26]
Lost Gardens of Heligan: The Story
The Lost Gardens of Heligan are compilled of 200 acres, regenerated into a paradise for the plant lover, garden romantic and more.Missing: reliance | Show results with:reliance
[27]
Lost Gardens of Heligan - History and Facts
Feb 25, 2022 · In 1990, famed conservationist Tim Smit discovered a derelict garden on the site. He soon realised that a wonderful hidden garden existed ...
[28]
Our origins - The Eden Project
We launched these unique courses run by Cornwall College and accredited by Plymouth University to bring a hands-on, practical approach to learning in an ...
[29]
Architecture - The Eden Project
The clay pit was still being mined when the Biomes were designed. In the face of this constantly shifting landscape, Grimshaw hit on the idea of soap bubbles.
[30]
Tim Smit: how we made the Eden Project - The Guardian
Sep 29, 2014 · We started the construction with just £3,000 in the bank. To persuade civil servants to part with public funds, you have to do a feasibility ...Missing: revenue | Show results with:revenue
[31]
Our funding - The Eden Project
Other major sources of funding included the EU and Southwest Regional Development Agency (some £50 million between them, including £26 million towards ...
[32]
Eden Project - Wikipedia
The project was conceived by Tim Smit and Jonathan Ball, and designed by Grimshaw Architects and structural engineering firm Anthony Hunt Associates (now ...History · Design and construction · Environmental aspects · Other projects
[33]
The Eden Project: Engineering Nature's Wonders
The weather was a major challenge during the early months of construction – 43m litres of rain fell in 90 days. Engineers had to devise a special drainage ...
[34]
Eden Project to make job cuts after falling visitor numbers
Jan 29, 2013 · In July 2008 it welcomed its 10 millionth visitor. ... I accepted a 10% staff-wide pay cut during the last recession, to save redundancies.
[35]
[PDF] Annual Review 2016/2017 - The Eden Project
For the first time since 2011, Eden welcomed more than a million visitors in a 12-month period and recorded our highest visitor numbers for. December since ...
[36]
Eden Project launches international company to open parks around ...
Jul 25, 2017 · The project is currently in the early stages of concept development. ... Tim Smit, creator of the UK Eden Project, told Attractions Management.Eden Project Secures £150m... · Aman Rosa Alpina Opens In... · Othership Raises $11.3...
[37]
Eden's new eco-tourism projects, from South America to China
Aug 23, 2022 · Eden Project Dundee is scheduled to open in 2025. It is currently under construction at the former Dundee Gasworks, less than a mile away from ...
[38]
New Eden Project to go ahead in Morecambe - APM
Jan 19, 2023 · A new Eden Project will be built in Morecambe, Lancashire after receiving £50m in funding. An artistic impression of Eden Project Morecambe.
[39]
[PDF] Cornwall Rebranding - Case Study - Physics & Maths Tutor
Eden Project either there on in the local area. - It employs 400 full time staff, 75% of these were previously unemployed. - In 2008 ...
[40]
Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit steps aside - BBC News
Aug 8, 2013 · Sir Tim Smit, the co-founder of the Eden Project, has stepped aside as its chief executive. Visitor numbers have fallen at the attraction.
[41]
The Lost Gardens Of Heligan by Tim Smit - Orion Publishing
This is the amazing story of their rediscovery and restoration, or the Victorian vision and ingenuity which first created that subtropical paradise.
[42]
Eden: Updated 15th Anniversary Edition by Tim Smit | eBook
In stock $6.99 next-day deliveryThis is the extraordinary story of the Eden Project, of its conception, design and construction, of the larger-than-life personalities who made it happen and of ...
[43]
'Eden' by Tim Smit - Reading Matters
Mar 23, 2008 · Eden is an uplifting human success story, one that drips with inspiration without being too preachy or too earnest.Missing: themes | Show results with:themes
[44]
Eden by Tim Smit | Goodreads
Rating 3.8 (163) Smit tells the story with humour, warmth and passion, while at the same time creating a management book about leadership, teamwork and achieving the impossible.Missing: themes | Show results with:themes
[45]
Devon Book Review - Eden by Tim Smit - BBC
The Eden project is a tale of triumph over adversity and has been a source of inspiration to everyone involved. That includes the army of artists and sculptors ...Missing: themes summary
[46]
Schools - The Eden Project
We've offer unforgettable days out for schools, colleges and universities; training opportunities to support teachers; and virtual online workshops.Missing: metrics | Show results with:metrics
[47]
School Workshop: Climate Challenge (years 7 to 11) | Eden Project
The workshop explores individual actions to respond to climate change, using Eden examples, and how to influence others and policy makers. It starts with ...Missing: outreach programs metrics<|separator|>
[48]
The DfE sustainability and climate change strategy - The Eden Project
The vision of the strategy is to establish the United Kingdom as the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030.Missing: outreach programs metrics
[49]
Annual Review 2022-23 - The Eden Project
The Eden Project had over half a million visitors, opened its first school, received £50m funding, and had 25,327 learners. They also won a gold medal at RHS ...Missing: metrics | Show results with:metrics
[50]
The Orchards - Gillyflower Farm
The idea for the orchards was conceived in 2017, at a breakfast with Sir Tim Smit and Philip MacMillan Browse, a renowned horticulturalist who, along with Tim, ...
[51]
practical Orchard management workshops prove very popular
Jan 22, 2025 · ... Tamar valley. The 40-acre orchard at Gillyflower Farm is maintained by Tess ... It was devised by Eden Project founder Sir Tim Smit and ...
[52]
Gillyflower Farm | A new adventure in productive gardening
Gillyflower's mission is to balance food production with conservation, rebuilding a healthy, diverse ecosystem whilst challenging conventional agriculture.
[53]
Honorary graduates: education | Bournemouth University
Sir Tim Smit KBE. Doctor of Education (2016). Sir Tim Smit is a successful entrepreneur who has enjoyed a career spanning archaeology, the music industry ...
[54]
Partners & people - MEMO Portland
MEMO Trustee. Sir Tim Smit read Archaeology and Anthropology at Durham University. This began a lifelong passion for regeneration and working to put things into ...
[55]
Advisory Panel - Intelligent Health
The Intelligent Health Advisory Panel ; Richard Benwell. Title · CEO – Wildlife and Countryside Link ; Sir Tim Smit KBE. Titile · Co-Founder – Eden Project.
[56]
Investors urged to back next phase of nature-based regeneration ...
Jun 16, 2025 · The project is guided by an influential advisory board including Sir Tim Smit (Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan), George Lamb ...
[57]
Sir Tim Smit | Keynote Speaker
Key Topics: · The Eden Project: From Vision to Global Impact · Sustainability as Smart Business Practice · Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurial Thinking ...
[58]
Sir Tim Smit KBE, Speaker | Co-founder, Eden Project - PepTalk
Executive Vice-Chair, and Co-founder of the award-winning Eden Project · Appointed Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) in ...Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
[59]
Sir Tim Smit KBE | Keynote Speaker | Book for Corporate Events
Sir Tim Smit KBE is a science and entrepreneurial keynote speaker discussing meeting challenges, daring to be ambitious and sustainable living.
[60]
Big Interview: Eden Project founder on the power of local economies
Sep 27, 2023 · Sir Tim Smit KBE moved to Cornwall in 1987 and is the co-founder of the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project.Missing: revenue | Show results with:revenue
[61]
Think bigger and better | Tim Smit - The Guardian
Jan 31, 2007 · Social enterprise is not just about tiny community projects: it is a model for running big business and public services alike, says Tim ...Missing: influence | Show results with:influence
[62]
Land agreement brings Eden Project North one step closer to reality
Mar 3, 2020 · The Eden Project in Cornwall has contributed more than £2 billion to the local economy and welcomed more than 21 million visitors since it fully ...
[63]
Eden Project North - Hansard - UK Parliament
Feb 10, 2021 · From an initial public and private investment of £105 million, the Eden Project has returned more than £2 billion directly into the regional ...
[64]
Sir Tim Smit: 'Don't blame people who brought prosperity to ...
Feb 18, 2022 · His comments came during a discussion about chef Rick Stein – a controversial figure in Cornwall where he's seen as a spokesperson for a duchy ...
[65]
Has the tide turned for Cornwall? - Management Today
Jul 10, 2008 · 'Poverty in Cornwall is wildly under-represented,' says Eden Project founder Tim Smit. 'The stats say the average wage here is £317 a week ...
[66]
[PDF] Written evidence submitted by The Eden Project (COM0025)
Since opening in 2001, the Eden Project has directly contributed over £1.7 billion to the local economy. It is situated in the Clay Country of Mid Cornwall, a ...
[67]
Interview - Tim Smit | attractionsmanagement.com
The Eden Project was a badly needed shot in the arm for the tourism industry in Cornwall, UK, when it opened in 2001. It gave the southwest county new vigour ...
[68]
Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit insults Cornish people in rant
Feb 17, 2022 · The co-founder of the Eden Project has caused a stir by labelling Cornish people as inarticulate “tossers” who romanticise “good old days” that never existed.Missing: nostalgia localism
[69]
Surf, scones… but no homes: the battle for the soul of Cornwall
Apr 3, 2022 · The co-founder of the Eden Project, Sir Tim Smit, recently suggested the Cornish are prone to harking back to imaginary “good old days”, and ...
[70]
The Eden Project - Advantages and disadvantages table in A Level ...
Rating 4.0 (15) May 17, 2013 · The Eden project has brought 4000 jobs to the area of Cornwall · Unemployment has decrease by 6% · The demand for accommodation in Cornwall has ...
[71]
'Lazy caricature': St Austell reacts to Tim Smit's rant about Cornish ...
Feb 17, 2022 · Most residents agree the Eden's Projects creator's comments were unfair, but others say there was a 'grain of truth'
[72]
Eden Project creator Sir Tim Smit criticises Cornish people in ...
Feb 16, 2022 · In an expletive-laden rant, Sir Tim, who grew up in Sussex, accused Cornish people of defining their lives “in terms of what you don't like” and of attacking ...Missing: nostalgia | Show results with:nostalgia
[73]
A spotlight on Tim Smit: Merging business acumen with ... - hussh
Oct 16, 2023 · Sir Tim Smit KBE was born in Holland on 25 September 1954. He read Archaeology and Anthropology at Durham University. Tim worked for ten ...
[74]
Inspired by a sink full of soap bubbles: how we made the Eden Project
Mar 15, 2021 · As the spectacular Cornish bio-domes turn 20, their creators reveal how they were inspired by a lost civilisation – and a load of washing up.
[75]
Eden Project, England: A Marvel of Biomimicry in Architecture and ...
The Eden Project was conceived by Sir Tim Smit, whose vision for a sustainable, educational space blossomed into reality. Architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw's ...
[76]
Doing well by doing good: An interview with Sir Tim Smit
Feb 11, 2020 · Impact's Head of Partnerships, Jo Appleby, recently sat down for a chat with Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project to talk
[77]
'I don't do optimisim; I do hope' – An interview with Tim Smit - CIWEM
He's the songwriter turned conservationist, founder of Cornwall's Eden Project, restorer of the Lost Gardens of Heligan. And now Sir Tim Smit plans an Eden ...
[78]
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/eden-project-boss-sir-tim-smit-says-cornish-detractors-are-tossers-52kpkq6q0
[79]
Eden Project boss Sir Tim Smit says Cornish detractors are 'tossers'
Feb 17, 2022 · The co-founder of the Eden Project has caused a stir in Cornwall by labelling “quite a few” of the locals as “tossers” while defending his friend Rick Stein.
[80]
The Eden Project creator Sir Tim Smit brands Cornish people who ...
Feb 17, 2022 · The creator of The Eden Project in Cornwall has branded some of the locals 'tossers' for criticising outsiders and romanticising the 'good old days'.
[81]
Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit's expletive-ridden rant about ...
Feb 16, 2022 · People in Cornwall have accused Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit of being 'rude' and 'outrageous' following an expletive-ridden rant about Cornish ...Missing: outsiders | Show results with:outsiders
[82]
[PDF] Cornish Nation - Mebyon Kernow
Jun 3, 2022 · Cornish people as “tossers” who were not articulate. He later partially back-tracked from his comments and apologised. There was then ...
[83]
Sir Tim Smit apologises after calling Cornish residents 'tossers'
Feb 17, 2022 · Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit apologises after calling some Cornwall residents 'tossers'. 'I don't want a few harsh words on my part to ...
[84]
Eden Project co-founder apologises for comments about Cornwall
Feb 17, 2022 · The co-founder of the Eden Project has apologised for comments he made about Cornwall after labelling “quite a few” of the locals as “tossers” ...
[85]
Cornwall's local economy and employment
Cornwall is renowned as a tourist destination with the visitor economy generating over £2billion each year, and accounting for around 20% of employment.
[86]
Visitor Economy - Cornwall Opportunities
Overall, the visitor economy makes up 15% of the Cornish economy and the mean average salary is £16,177, with salaries for different occupations within the ...
[87]
Cornish people furious after Eden Project co-founder makes ...
Feb 18, 2022 · In a podcast, Sir Tim defended his friend, Padstow-based chef Stein, from criticism he receives in some quarters for “representing” Cornwall ...
[88]
Eden Trust adopts 'truly sustainable' vision after reporting £6.3m deficit
Feb 11, 2014 · Last year, Eden put in place plans to save about £4m in the financial year to March 2014. Measures included making 68 staff redundant and not ...
[89]
Interview - Tim Smit | attractionsmanagement.com
Visits were down by around 20 per cent in 2012, with prospects of further public funding weak, and for the first time, Eden was forced to make redundancies – a ...Missing: operational | Show results with:operational<|control11|><|separator|>
[90]
Eden Project: The dismay of the critics | Third Sector
Feb 11, 2014 · A £140m investment has brought £1.3bn of economic benefit and jobs to a hard-pressed part of the country. "Tim would say he didn't build Eden - ...
[91]
Eden says heartfelt thanks to departing staff as restructure ends
Sep 1, 2020 · The closure and restrictions on visitor numbers resulted in Eden Project Ltd losing more than £7 million in the first quarter of this financial ...Missing: 2010 | Show results with:2010
[92]
Almost half of Eden Project staff to lose their jobs - The Mirror
Jul 15, 2020 · The Eden Project estimates that about 150 full-time equivalent jobs will be lost out of the current total of 375, a reduction of 40%, meaning ...
[93]
[PDF] Trustees' Report The Eden Trust - Charity Commission
Mar 31, 2023 · This along with the repayment of the CBILs loan and investment into the site resulted in a reduced cash position as at 31 March 2023 with net ...
[94]
Annual Review 2023-24 - The Eden Project
In Eden's 22nd year, visitor numbers increased by 10% to circa 604,000. There was investment in the Eden Project site with the creation of a new play area, ...Missing: record | Show results with:record
[95]
Analysis: Eden Project - weathering 'a perfect storm' | Third Sector
Feb 10, 2014 · "There are concerns about some of the management aspects at Eden and it's important that the project recognises that it can't be a bottomless ...Missing: operational | Show results with:operational
[96]
Becoming climate positive: Eden's journey
Jun 29, 2023 · We completed a whole life cycle carbon assessment of Growing Point which reported an 89% reduction in embodied carbon (avoiding almost 1,000 ...Our Carbon Footprint · Reducing Our Carbon... · By 2030
[97]
[PDF] Eden Project Total Carbon Footprint 2022/23*
Current %. Change in. tCO2e from previous year. % total carbon footprint. Change in amounts from previous year. Buildings. Burning Oil.Missing: analysis | Show results with:analysis
[98]
How much is the Eden Project worth to the economy? - BBC News
May 28, 2012 · Eden founder, Tim Smit, said the number of visitors to the attraction was rising. "We are on the up. We have 467 staff. We are in the top 20 ...Missing: critiques dependency<|separator|>
[99]
Annual and sustainability reports - The Eden Project
Browse our Annual Reviews and Sustainability Reports to find out about our work and our sustainability performance, and to see a summary of Eden's finances ...Missing: self- subsidies
[100]
I've watched Laura grow and blossom – like Eden - The Times
Aug 1, 2010 · Tim Smit is the founder of the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan. His daughter, Laura works for the police as a counsellor.
[101]
Sir Tim Smit's 'legacy project' for Lostwithiel won't be another Eden ...
Feb 27, 2021 · Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit and his son Alex are hoping to create a "new centre for the teaching and learning of agronomy" in ...
[102]
A Very Heligan Wedding - John Elkington
May 12, 2024 · We joined the celebration of Tim Smit's wedding to Charlotte Russell in the Lost Gardens of Heligan – a pre-Eden venture of his.Missing: children | Show results with:children
[103]
My First Million: Tim Smit - Financial Times
Aug 5, 2011 · Dutch-born Smit read archaeology and anthropology at Durham University. He then worked for 10 years in the music industry as a composer ...Missing: background childhood
[104]
Honorary knighthood for Eden Project founder Tim Smit - BBC News
Sep 7, 2011 · Mr Smit, 56, who was appointed a CBE in 2002, was given the honour in recognition of the his services to public engagement with science. The ...<|separator|>
[105]
Tim Smit - keynote speaker
He read Archaeology and Anthropology at Durham University. Tim worked for ten years in the music industry as composer/producer in both rock music and opera. In ...<|separator|>